Good design is often about lateral thinking taking the germ of an idea and developing it so it fulfils and even exceeds client expectations. It's a process that can be long and involved, but for the architect of this house, the basic concept was developed in just two weeks.
Matt and Jennifer Liotta of Atlanta, the owners of the property, invited four architects to present concepts for a house to sit on a long, narrow site. Despite a short time frame, architect Bryan Russell of Dencity LLC was awarded the contract for his design, which detailed a U-shaped house that wrapped around a large outdoor courtyard.
"The courtyard won us over," says Matt Liotta. "It gives us a large additional living room that is ideal for entertaining and fits with our informal lifestyle."
Russell says the courtyard also meets the owners' need for privacy. Similarly, elevating the main floor of the three-level house above the street makes it more private. With a fully glazed double-height living room, the house has not turned its back to the street, however. The corner windows are oriented to a picturesque park diagonally opposite the house.
"Effectively, the front facade comprises two intersecting cubes a glass box that sits inside a larger white stucco box," says Russell. "The entry, which has an aluminum canopy that extends inside, is a separate element."
Russell says sustainable design principles also influenced the design the house has been awarded LEED Silver Status.